Moses Simon of Nigeria challenges Hamdy Fathy of Egypt during 2025 Africa Cup of Nations 3rd and 4th place playoff match between Egypt and Nigeria on the 17 January 2026 at Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca ©Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Saturday Jan 17, 2026. 20:18
Join AfricanFootball.com for LIVE updates from all 52 matches of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, as 24 teams battle for glory in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January.
Today’s match:
18h00 – Egypt (2) 0-0 (4) Nigeria – Match Centre
Updates:
The tournament will conclude on Sunday with host Morocco looking to best Senegal on home soil at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat to lift the title for the first time since 1976.
A strong campaign from Egypt comes to an end, as Salah and his men head home empty handed.
Penalty shootout: 4-2. Lookman nets Nigeria’s final penalty to secure the bronze medal for the Super Eagles. They have now won all eight of their appearances in the third place play-off. Egypt head home without a spot on the podium.
Egypt 2-3 Nigeria. Iwobi withstands Shobeir’s gamesmanship to put Nigeria in the driving seat. Mahmoud Saber thrashes the ball into the top corner.
Egypt 1-2 Nigeria. Captain Moses Simon strokes the ball into the bottom right corner. Rami Rabia scores to keep Egypt alive
Egypt 0-1 Nigeria. Adams sends the goalkeeper the wrong way. Nwabali produces a second save with his legs, denying Omar Marmoush
Penalty shootout: 0-0. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru fails to score the first penalty, his strike resulting in an easy save for Shobeir. Salah’s effort to give Egypt the lead is denied by Nwabali’s strong right hand
90+7’ – Full time: Egypt 0-0 Nigeria. The third place play-off ends goalless after regulation time for a third time in 33 occasions at the tournament. We are headed for a penalty shootout in Casablanca to decide the bronze medal winner.
88’ – Salah squanders a free-kick opportunity from a dangerous distance, sending his strike into the wall.
75’ – Both sides are struggling to create threatening chances as the fixture looks increasingly like it is headed for a penalty shootout.
65’ – Alex Iwobi is introduced, replacing the injured right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel to add some attacking flair for the Super Eagles.
60’ – The midfield battle continues as both side are showing goal-scoring intent. It remains 0-0.
46’ – Nigeria have another goal disallowed, this time for an offside infringement. Adams did not time his run correctly to receive Samuel Chukwueze’s ball and Lookman’s second chance strike is discounted.
46’ – Egypt kick-off to start the second half in Casablanca. Ademola Lookman comes on for Onuachu to provide a spark up front for the Super Eagles
50’ – Halftime: Egypt 0-0 Nigeria. An evenly matched first half ends goalless after Nigeria’s goal was disallowed. With no extra-time, both teams will be pushing for a winner in the second period to avoid a penalty shootout.
39’ – Nigeria are denied the opening goal after a quick VAR check. Paul Onuachu is given a yellow card for elbowing his defender, albeit unintentionally.
27’ – Egypt have shown more attacking initiative in the past 10 minutes, but have still failed to register a shot.
13’ – The only shot of the game so far comes from Akor Adams, whose effort from the right side of the box is deflected by Ramy Rabia, making for an easy save for Egyptian goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir.
8’ – We are back underway after a delay in play after Mohamad Lasheen destroyed the corner flag in an attempt to keep the ball going behind for a corner.
1’ We are underway in Casablanca.
The Pharaohs are appearing in the tournament’s third place play-off for the sixth time, having won three and lost two in their previous appearances.
The Super Eagles enter the fixture on the back of a historic performance having scored 14 goals at the finals, their highest tally at any AFCON. They boast a perfect record in third-place games, having played in seven and won seven.
The Super Eagles will be without defensive stalwart Calvin Bassey, who is suspended after picking up a third yellow card at the tournament in Nigeria’s semi-final. In addition, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen have all been omitted from the starting line-up.
While Egypt’s captain and leader Mohamed Salah starts, Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush falls out of the Pharaohs’ starting 11.
This will be the 21st meeting between the two nations and the 10th at the continental showpiece. The Super Eagles hold the historical advantage with five wins to the Pharaohs two and two matches drawn in past AFCON tournaments.
Egypt and Nigeria are ready to battle for third place in the penultimate game of the 2025 AFCON at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
Starting line-ups:
Egypt: O. Shobeir, M. Hany, R. Rabia, H. Fathy, K. Sobhi, M. Lasheen, A. Sayed, M. Salah, E. Ashour, Trézéguet, M. Mohamed
Nigeria: S. Nwabali, B. Onyemaechi, I. Ogbu, S. Ajayi, B. Osayi-Samuel, F. Dele-Bashiru, R. Onyedika, S. Chukwueze, M. Simon, P. Onuachu, A. Adams